Rick Beringer
Faster than a speeding bullet…that’s Rick Beringer, known around Hartland as the guy with a 4-minute mile. From 1976-1980, Rick was a four-year letter winner in both track and cross-country, and he led the Arrowhead track team to 1979 and 1980 Conference titles in indoor, relays and outdoor.
As an individual, Rick captured All-Conference honors for both track and cross-country his sophomore, junior and senior years. He also was crowned All-State in 1979 and 1980 for both sports, was Captain of both teams 1978 through 1980, and was a four-time conference indoor mile champion (half, mile and two-mile champion his senior year). Throughout high school, Rick captured 14 total Conference championships in cross-country and indoor/outdoor track and relays, plus he took second at State in the 1,600-meter run his senior year (third his junior year).
Arrowhead records Rick held:
- 1,600-meter run (ran it in 4:14.1 and held the record for 31 years)
- Two-mile run
- Half-mile run
After high school, Rick received a scholarship to run both cross country and track at Drake University where he was a four-year letter winner in cross country (captain for two years) and a three-year letter winner for track. His sophomore year, he set the school record for the 1,000-meter run.
Rick returned to AHS in 2000, this time as an assistant cross-country coach. He helped coach the girls team 2000 to 2004 – including a team that finished as State runner-up.
Today Rick works for Food Marketing Services as a Territory Manager and also enjoys bartending at the Union House restaurant. He also has a bucket list to run a race with each of his kids and step-kids. He ran a full marathon with his son Josh and half-marathons with his daughter Jesse and stepdaughter Paula. He says he has “two step-daughters to go.” In all, Rick has completed eight marathons, including Boston in 2007.